


Of Glass-Doored Closets (and the men inside them)

by wastelandzbaby



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Autistic Edward Nygma, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Edward Nygma, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Jim Gordon, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Canon Autistic Character, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon LGBTQ Character, Closeted Character, Coming Out, Gay Pride, Heteronormativity, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, One Shot, POV Edward Nygma, Pansexual Character, Pansexual Kristen Kringle, Past Child Abuse, Pride, Season/Series 01, Self-Indulgent, Sexuality, Short One Shot, Slurs, again. kinda, i'm using the canon tag bc he's v obviously autie coded, it's not entirely relevant but oh well, it's very very vague but still, kinda? it makes sense i promise, lee is an oblivious het but it's ok we love her anyway, the canon tag is for ed AND barb, uncensored slurs, we stan a queen, written from experience
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 20:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19181047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wastelandzbaby/pseuds/wastelandzbaby
Summary: To put it frankly, Ed wasn't exactly aware that there was much special about his sexuality; he loves girls, and the other boys in his class loved girls, too. He loves boys, and the girls in his class also loved boys. There was nothing wrong about it.So when he found his classmates assuming things - assuming he was only capable of loving women - he found himself utterly stumped by the concept. How could you only love one, when there's so many options otherwise? So many handsome men and beautiful women and everything between?It had never occurred to Ed, before now, that others may somehow expect the same from him now as they did in high-school.





	Of Glass-Doored Closets (and the men inside them)

**Author's Note:**

> a self-indulgent bi!ed fic bc i'm a bi dude and i love edward nygma uhm  
> some notes!  
> \- a slur is used (f*gg*t, uncensored). ed is reclaiming it but it's directly after the slur was used against him, so be careful.  
> \- this is ed-centric but also has a few other lgbt+ headcanons in it, so hopefully they're enjoyable!  
> \- ed's obliviousness in the beginning is based entirely on my own childhood. yep.
> 
> happy pride!!  
> (talk to me abt this/request some gay shit at @undeadz on tumblr uwu)

Edward Nygma has never seen his sexuality as much of an issue.

To put it frankly, he wasn't exactly aware that there was much special about it; he loves girls, and the other boys in his class loved girls, too. He loves boys, and the girls in his class also loved boys. There was nothing wrong about it, as long as he kept his head down and didn't tell his father.

_(He was lucky enough to be graced with that knowledge, he supposes. Even back when he thought everyone was like him, he was smart enough not to voice it to his father.)_

So when he found his classmates assuming things - assuming he was only capable of loving women - he found himself utterly stumped by the concept. How could you only love one, when there's so many options otherwise? So many handsome men and beautiful women and everything between?

_(Obviously, he's gotten smarter since then. He googled it one long night and found quite easily where he fit on the LGBT+ spectrum - and found out about everyone else, too. He knows better, now, to assume that people can only love like he loves.)_

* * *

It had never occurred to Ed, before now, that others may somehow expect the same from him now as they did in high-school. He'd assumed they'd all had the same epiphany as him, the same research into that community, the same realisation that not everybody was the same; and yet, once again, he was proven wrong.

He hadn't thought much of the badge when he'd bought it. It'd been on display at one of the stores on his way to work, pierced through a panel of card on the inside of the window - and he'd bought one quickly, attaching it cleanly to his jacket, giving the cashier a cheerful smile (which she nervously returned) and wishing her a wonderful day. He didn't think much of it as he walked down the winding streets towards the precinct, or as he caught a few smiles in his direction.

He only really thought much of it when Dr Thompkins' eyebrows furrowed slightly, eyes landing on his chest.

"Ed?" He turned to face her, eyebrow raising at the confusion in her voice. "Your badge, I've... I've never noticed it before."

It had become such an insignificant part of his person that he barely remembered what exactly she was referring to. "It's new." he explained briefly, shrugging. "I saw it in a store window and figured I'd try it."

Lee nodded slowly, eyebrows furrowing more. "So, are you..." she gestured vaguely with one hand, sighing as he blinked patiently at her. "... _batting for more than one team,_ then?"

"Bisexual." He corrected, smiling. "The term is bisexual, Dr Thompkins. And yes. That's why I'm wearing it."

The furrow in her brow disappeared, and she nodded as if solving a riddle, returning the smile with a hint of hesitance. "Congratulations, then," she decided plainly, slipping out of the exam room door. Ed didn't know exactly what he was being congratulated for, but he accepted it nonetheless.

* * *

James Gordon also stared a little too long at Ed's badge - and when the forensic scientist questioned him on it, he pulled back his sleeve and held up his arm.

The band around his wrist - pink, purple and blue, the exact same colours as Ed's badge - wasn't quite as open as a badge, but still managed to get the job done. Jim seemed to wait until Ed's eyes returned from his wrist to his face before dropping his arm and unfurling his sleeve.

"Happy pride, Ed," his gruff voice came out strangely soft, and he gave him a friendly smile as he passed. The scientist wasn't entirely sure why it pleased him so much, but the warmth in his heart at seeing people like him was too nice to ignore.

* * *

Kristen Kringle's nails were painted pretty colours - pink, yellow and blue. She didn't stare at the badge like the others did, but a soft smile worked its way on her face, and she squeezed his hand a little when taking folders from him.

* * *

Some people weren't as nice, obviously. Ed was no stranger to playground bullies and their biting insults; quite honestly, in his opinion, they needed new material.

"Yes, ma'am, I _am_ a faggot," he deadpanned to the raving woman who stopped him in the precinct floor. She paled as a dozen officers turned to glare at her, and Ed noticed Jim's hold tighten on his desk across the room. "But if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

He brushed past her as if she was nothing. She spluttered, reached for him - and was cut off by an officer Ed had barely spoken to, stony-faced and asking her (quite firmly) to leave.

* * *

Renee Montoya's comment was expected, of course; she was the furthest from secretive that Ed had ever seen. She didn't say much, shrugging on her coat and heading for the door - but she turned towards the remaining employees in the doorway, pausing.

"Happy pride, Kristen." she called softly - and, after a moment of hesitation, "you too, Ed."

"Likewise," he found himself beaming, unable to stop it - and she smiled at him before she left.

* * *

Barbara Kean brushed past him on his way home. She was headed to the precinct, presumably to herd Jim home before he got too invested in a case and worked overtime - and her double-take didn't go unnoticed by the man.

A polite nod, and a smile. "Happy pride, Miss Kean," he said brightly. She blinked herself out of her shock, smiling.

"You too, Mr Nygma."

* * *

He passed by the store again, and bought a little mini flag he saw on one of the holders. The cashier recognised him and beamed as she pointed at the flag on her own chest - shades of pinkish, orangeish colours that very much inferred a disinterest in men. He smiled, nodded, and waved to her on his way out.

* * *

 

The flag became a permanent resident on Ed's desk, even once June had thoroughly ended. After a few months, nobody seemed surprised anymore when he mentioned it - and for that, he was just a little glad.


End file.
